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Flaming sphere
Evocation Fire Level: Blighter 2, Druid 2, Shugenja 2, Sorcerer/Wizard 2, Warmage 2 Components: V, S, M/DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Effect: 5-ft.-diameter sphere Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: Reflex negates Spell Resistance: Yes A burning globe of fire rolls in whichever direction you point and burns those it strikes. It moves 30 feet per round. As part of this movement, it can ascend or jump up to 30 feet to strike a target. If it enters a space with a creature, it stops moving for the round and deals 2d6 points of fire damage to that creature, though a successful Reflex save negates that damage. A flaming sphere rolls over barriers less than 4 feet tall, such as furniture and low walls. It ignites flammable substances it touches and illuminates the same area as a torch would. The sphere moves as long as you actively direct it (a move action for you); otherwise, it merely stays at rest and burns. It can be extinguished by any means that would put out a normal fire of its size. The surface of the sphere has a spongy, yielding consistency and so does not cause damage except by its flame. It cannot push aside unwilling creatures or batter down large obstacles. A flaming sphere winks out if it exceeds the spell’s range. Arcane Material Component: A bit of tallow, a pinch of brimstone, and a dusting of powdered iron. Alternate Material Component: Powdered cold iron Enlarged (450 gp) Editor (Blaster): This is one of the most useless spells available at 2nd level. Yes, I can feel how underwhelmed you are. The spell is damage over time and reflex negates entirely. Because of this, you might think burning hands is a better choice. And in many respects, this is true. Flaming sphere is useful between 3rd and 4th level. After that, your caster level and greater selection of spells eclipses this rolling ember. While most people will automatically dismiss this spell, it’s use is in mass combats over long periods. You can never have too many attacks, and this turns your move action into an attack action. Spell Synergy: While you are limited to 2nd level spells, the obvious synergy is with Web. Web immobilizes your enemies for a long time period. Flaming sphere works best with damage over time. True, the flaming sphere will burn your enemies free, it won’t be without 2d4 fire damage. You can make a case for entangled targets automatically failing their reflex saves. That means 2d6+2d4 or an average 12 points of damage. At 3rd level, your average 3 HD critter with a con of 14 only has 19 hp. This drops him to cleave range for sure. Also, you can burn them free one at a time, meaning your side can gang up on them and they can’t gang up on you. Metamagic BLISTERING SPELL: A +1 level adjustment to add +2 damage. Normally I wouldn’t consider it, if it wasn’t for the mere 2d6 of damage. Then again, why not just cast fireball and be done with it? BORN OF THE THREE THUNDERS: Normally I hate this feat because of the dazed side effect. But after the initial casting of the spell, this feat does stunning and prone, every round, to one target. Suddenly this goes from an annoyance to deadly. You do have to use Energy Substitution to make it electrical, but that comes with the feat. Especially nasty if you add it to sculpted spell. EARTHBOUND SPELL: Here’s the problem, the way it reads, you have to remain within the casting range, or it will wink out after being triggered. Next. EMPOWER SPELL: Empowering low levels of damage doesn’t usually get you far. You’d give up a 4th level spell to do 3d6 damage? Thought so. ENERGIZE SPELL: Would you give up a 3rd level spell to do 3d6 against the undead? Maybe. See the scrolls below for the point spred. ENERGY ADMIXTURE: HA! ENTANGLING SPELL: +2 level adjustment so you can halve one enemy’s movement for one round? Thank you, but no. EXPLOSIVE SPELL: While technically you can add this spell, the only extra damage will be if your enemy is blown into someone else or a wall. He will fall prone, but fall out of the area of effect. Might work well with sculpt. EXTEND SPELL: I hate damage over time, but if you are in a mass battle that might last forever, then you might as well put your move action to use and burn a bunch of people. FELL DRAIN: Draining someone of a level is like doing an extra 5 hit points of damage that he can’t get back along with some debuffing. The problem is, that since the damage is all from the same spell, the level loss only happens once per target. If you keep switching targets, or drop a target in a round or two, then it might be useful, but not by much. FIERY SPELL: A +1 level adjustment to add +2 damage, per die, so this at least beats blistering because it will do damage every round. Still, you’re better off with fireball at the same level. INVISIBLE SPELL: I know it sounds cool, an invisible ball of rolling flame, but there is no tactical advantage to this. LINGERING SPELL: On a spell that does damage over time, adding more damage over time isn’t bad. I’d still cast fireball instead. MAXIMIZE SPELL: What level spell are you giving up to maximize this? SCULPT SPELL: Ah, now we come to the sweet spot. Sculpt your spell into four cubes. They won’t roll, but you can create a poor man’s wall of fire. Make a 40 foot wide ball. True, it won’t roll any further when it hit’s it’s first target, and it will be 40 feet high, which means that only a ten foot by ten foot square on the bottom will actually be a threat to anyone. But a forty foot tall ball of flame rolling around the battlefield just might cause a panic in the enemy ranks. It sure as hell will be visible for miles. The cylinder isn’t much use, and the cone would only be able to roll around a central point like a top on it’s side. I don’t recommend that one. No, the awesome power of this feet is reveled when you sculpt it into a line. You too can have a 120 foot long log of fire rolling 30 feet a round back and forth, side to side and have it last for your level in rounds. No turns, please. Trying to round up a herd of cattle? Corral them with rolling walls of fire. Use a metamagic widen rod to make it 240 feet by 10 feet. Maybe you could add explosive. Anyone trying to cross makes a reflex save or burns and then is blown backwards. WIDEN SPELL: Way too expensive to be cost effective. Use rod or sudden only. Scrools Flaming Sphere (SL2/CL3): 150 gp Damage: 2d6 = Avg 7 hp (21.43 gp/hp) Duration: 3 rounds (7.14 gp/hp) Flaming Sphere (SL2/CL5): 250 gp Damage: 2d6 = Avg 7 hp (35.71 gp/hp) Duration: 5 rounds (7.14 gp/hp) Flaming Sphere (SL2/CL10): 500 gp Damage: 2d6 = Avg 7 hp (71.43 gp/hp) Duration: 10 rounds (7.14 gp/hp) Flaming Sphere (SL2/CL20): 1000 gp Damage: 2d6 = Avg 7 hp (142.86 gp/hp) Duration: 15 rounds (7.14 gp/hp) As you can see the gold to damage ratio gets worse, the higher the caster level, but even when you damage someone every single round for the entire duration, the ratio never gets better. The advantage of this spell is to allow you to do a little extra damage as a move action. Or maybe to scare the pants out of everyone. Read on, true believer, read on. (click to show/hide) Flaming Sphere Empower (SL4/CL7): 700 gp Damage: 2d6 x 1.5 = Avg 10.5 hp (66.67 gp/hp) Duration: 7 rounds (9.52 gp/hp) You’d be better off with a ice storm, which is sad. Flaming Sphere Energize (SL3/CL5): 375 gp Damage: 2d6 x 1.5 = Avg 10.5 hp vs undead (35.71 gp/hp) Duration: 5 rounds (7.14 gp/hp) Zombies are known to walk right though things that would kill them, so a ball of this in the path of advancing undead in a bottle neck may actually be more effective then a fireball. Maybe. We’ll see. Flaming Sphere Empower/Energize (SL5/CL9): 1125 gp Damage: 2d6 x 2 = Avg 14 hp vs undead (80.36 gp/hp) Duration: 9 rounds (8.93 gp/hp) Again, undead killer. Meh. Flaming Sphere Lingering (SL3/CL5): 375 gp Damage: 2d6 + 1d6 = Avg 7 + 3.5 hp (35.71 gp/hp) Duration: 5 rounds (7.14 gp/hp) Alas, we can’t seem to break that 7.14 barrier. Not a bad fan of damage over time, but lingering is just as good as empowering in this case. Flaming Sphere Born of the Three Thunders/Explosive/Widen (SL7/CL13): 2275 gp Damage: 2d6 = Avg 7 hp (325.00 gp/hp) Duration: 13 rounds (25.00 gp/hp) What wizard in his right mind would scribe this? Maybe it’s an insane druid who spent too much time talking to trees and went all blighter. You are stunned the first round, then after that your targets have to make multiple saving throws or be stunned, thrown backwards, and knocked prone (Possibly twice). The widen allows you to block off a 10x10’ area, which is most corridors. Pity it stops rolling when it hits a target, but that doesn’t stop someone from running through it. Damage is only once a round, mind you. The widen makes sure that if you fail your saves entering it, you get knocked back the way you came. A normal explosive Flaming Sphere would have all sides the ‘closest’ side, thus ejection would be random. Wands Flaming Sphere (SL2/CL3): 4500 gp Damage: 2d6 = Avg 7 hp (12.86 gp/hp) Duration: 5 rounds (4.28 gp/hp) Flaming Sphere Sculpt (SL3/CL5): 11250 gp Damage: 2d6 = Avg 7 hp (32.14 gp/hp) Duration: 5 rounds (6.43 gp/hp) Now this has so many uses. A giant burning sphere, a Cylinder of flame into the sky, a rolling log of flame, a giant cone, or four ten foot cubes scattered about. The damage sucks, but the duration doesn’t. It allows you to control the field of battle with objects of flame. Flaming Sphere Extended/Sculpt (SL4/CL20): 60000 gp Damage: 2d6 = Avg 7 hp (171.43 gp/hp) Duration: 40 rounds (4.28 gp/hp) Here we have the deluxe model. For a mere 60,000 gp, you too can drop 4 minute duration AoE all over the place Just make sure to keep everything within 300 feet or it will expire early. Create a literal maze of rolling, shifting fire for your enemies to experience. Remember, you can give up your standard action for a move action, and if you are hasted, that is another move action. You could, in theory, move three burning objects a round. Potions Flaming Sphere Retributive (SL3/CL5): 750 gp Damage: 2d6 = Avg 7 hp (107.14 gp/hp) Duration: 5 rounds (21.43 gp/hp) Now, the way this spell reads, with this feat, is that it only effects the first person who hits you. So technically, it would be a burning effect that hit only the victim, thus wouldn’t be AoE. That means that he’d make a reflex save every round or take damage and the only way to stop the burning would be to run 150 feet away from you. Flaming Sphere Born of the Three Thunders/Energy Substitution (Electricity)/Retributive (SL3/CL20): 3000 gp Damage: 2d6 = Avg 7 hp (428.57 gp/hp) Duration: 20 rounds (21.43 gp/hp) Category:Evocation spells Category:Fire spells Category:2nd level sorcerer and wizard spells Category:2nd level druid spells